Printing attachment for envelope machines



. 4 1617 782 F 1927' E. F. AHLQUIST PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Filed March 9. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W 22' F/QS ,Feb .1'5. 1927.

1,617,782 5. F. AHLQUIST PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Fi'led March 9. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JTTORNEY':

Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES EUGENE F. AHLQUIS'I', OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES.

Application filed March 9, 1925. Serial No. 14,219.

This invention relates to an improved printing attachment for envelope machines, particularly of the plunger type, and is pan ticularly adapted for use to print return addresses on envelopes while the latter are being formed, thereby eliminating the usual procedure or separate operation of printing suchaddr'esses or other information on the envelopes before or after the completion thereof.

The particular object of the invention is to provide such an attachment of simple and inexpensive construction which may readily and conveniently be attached to ordinary plunger type envelope machines, whereby the operation of printing return addresses or other information on envelopes may be simultaneously effected during the formation of the envelopes.

Other objects of the invention will appear from. the following descri tion and the accom anying drawings an will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

1n the accompanying drawings there has 7 been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes ma be made within the scope of the claims w ich follow.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figural is a vertical sectional view of a common form of envelope machine, showing my improved attachment mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the means provided for actuatingthe type bar to move it into eontact'with an'inking 'device;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the "trap plate and also the plunger plate in operative envelope-forming position, showing the type bar mountedin the trap plate, and the means provided in the plunger plate for yieldably forcing or pressing the envelope or a portion of the envelope or card against the face of the type;

Figure l is a plan view of thetrap plate with the type bar mounted therein, and

Figure 5 is a front view of a common form of envelope, showing a return address printed in the upper left-hand corner thereof.

n In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown there is illustrated a common form of plunger type envelope machine, comprising the side frames 6 and the'top plate 7. The usual envelope-drying conveyor 8 is also shown in which the finished envelopes are discharged from the folding mechanism. The plunger plate 9 is terminally secured to a rod 11, which is slidably mounted in the guide 12 supported by the side frames of the machine. A device 13, commonly known as a creaser, is mounted over the top plate 7 of the machine in'spaced relation thereto. This device is provided with an aperturel l substantially of the size of the envelope, and over this aperture the paper blanks 15 are placed or fed by auto matic means (not shown), and are downwardly forced therethrough by the plunger plate 9, to the position shown in Figure 1. When the plunger plate 9 is in the full line position shown in Figure 1, the blank 15 will be forced into contact with a trap plate 16, which is mounted upon arms 17 pivotally connected by means of pivots 18, to the top 1 plate 7 or to the frame of the machine. The trap plate 16 is adapted to be oscillated upon the pivots 18 fromithe dotted line position to the full line position shown in Figure 1.

An opening 19 is providedoin the top plate 7 to provide clearance for the trap plate 16 when upwardly moved to the position shown in Figure 1, and also to provide clearance for the partially completed envelope as it is downwardly forced therethrough by the plunger plate 9. The above described mechanism is well known in machines of this type and forms no part of the present invention.

An important feature of this invention resides in the novel mechanism provided for printing a portion of the face of the envelope during the formation thereof. This novel device consists of a type bar 21 which is preferably slidably mounted in a recess 22 provided in the upper face of the trap plate 16." A suitable type or die 23 is provided on the upper faceof, the type bar adapted to engage the face of the envelope or card when the latter is moved into contact with the trap plate by downward movement of the plunger plate 9. By thus mounting the type 23 in the face of the trap plate 16 each envelope will receive an impression before being discharged from the trap plate into the conveyor 8. This type may be removed from the trap plate when the machine is used for making envelopes without printing thereon and while I have shown a conventional form of type, it may, iflpreferred, be fashioned like a die'or cut. Means are preferably pr0 vided for inking the type each time an impression has been made. The rmeans here shown for thus inking the type each time an impression has been made consists of slidably mounting the type bar 21 in tlhe recess 22 provided in the face of the trap plate 16. The type bar is, therefore, "shown with a projecting lug 24 having an aperture 25 therein adapted to receive a pin 26 secured to one end of a bar .27 reciprocally mounted in a bracket28 which may be secured to the under face of the .top plate The bar 27 is ojperatively connected-t0 an oscillating arm 29 by'means of a link 31. 'The arm 29 'is preferablysecured .to ii-shaft 32 mounted in bearings 33 which may be integrally formed on one of the side frames or they: may be independently constructed andsecured thereto.

A Yforked arm 34: is also mounted on the shaft 32 and hasva roller'35 rotatably mounted in the opposite end thereof and adapted to ride on a cam 36, mounted upon the main operating shaft 37 of t-he machine. A -tension spring 3 9 is preferably provided to yieldabl'y hold the-roller-3'5 in contact with the fac'e of -the cam 36. .A high point 38 is provided on the cam to inwardly :move the roller with the resultant rocking off the shaft 32, and, therefore, :the oscillation of the arm 229 from the full to the dotted line position shown in Figure .2. The "high point 38 of the camisgpositionec l so as to preferably actuate the arm :29 in-timed relation with the trap ,plate 16, it being softimed as y to be actuated when the trap plate is at the bottom of its stroke, shown vin Figure 2.

An inking roller 40, of ordinary construction, is suitably mounted adjacent one end of the opening 19 in the top plate :7 inrsue-h annanner as to engage the type when .the' tyqie-barisimoved fromthe run line position shown in Figure 2, to the dotted licne position shown --in the same Ifigure. "The .means provided for supplying link to the hiking roller 40 may of :any ordinary standard construction and there-fore .is not shown in detail inthe drawings.

il he trapy plate-16 i-s actuated orosc il-lat'ed by suitable means such as the push .rod 41 having-its lower end pivotally conneetedto an arm 42, which has a roller-=43 .mounted therein adapted to ride 1 on a 0311i 44 .n'munted upon 1 he ope-rating shaft lu the operation ofthis move] printing "a ttnehment in conjunction with-an ordinary plunger type envelope machine, the paper hlanks will be rfed into the :maehine beneath the plunger plat-e 9,'when in the raised posi- .tion Lshown in dotted dines .in 'Figure =1. The blanks will then-be downwardly forced through theiopening lel intocontact with the trap plate 16 which previously has been moved into .the horizontalgposition 'shown "l]1-tl18' tb0\8 [figure ike soon as the partially completed envelqpe is moved "into contact with the trap plate 16 a portion of the sur'face thereof will be pressed into contact with the face. of the type 'to receive an impression therefrom. A cushion block 45 is-prefera'li'l-yprovidedinthe plunger plate 9 to yieldably press a portion of the envelope into printing contact with the type 23. As

will be inwardly folded by means (not 1 shown) .to complete the formation of the envelope. The trap plate will then be downwardly moved to the vposition shown in dotted'lines in Figure l and 'full lines in Figure2. As'the trap plate is downwardly moved from the full line positionshown in Figure 1 to the dotted line position shown in thesamefigure and to the full line positionshownin Figure2the envelope will 'be discharged into the conveyor belt *8.

It will be noted by reference to Figure :2 that when the trap plate reachesthe bottom of its stroke the pin 26 in the bar 27 will be received in the aperture 25 provided in the lug 25L a't-one end of the type bar.

Zhile the trap plate is thus momentarily held in its normal inoperative position, the oscillatingarm 39 will-be oscillated .by the arm 138 to bring the-type into contact with the inking rollerAO after which the type'bar will be returned 'to its normal position before the trap plateli-s again actuated in the formation ofthe next envelope. "In aplunger type machine, after the printing impression and folding: operation takes place, the envelope is delivered into the conveyor or drying means 8 which is as shown of skeleton-like form having no surfaces which would *come in contact with and smear .thefresh ink on the envelopes.

By means of this novel attachment, therefore, it will .readily'he seen that 'byfits use in conjunction with .an envelope machine, the envelopes may 'be simultaneously printed while f being formed, thereby eliminating the separate operation of printing return addresses or other.material on the envelopes before matter they haveibeen formed.

Tllhis novel device will therefore, greatly reduce the cost of manufacturing printed envelopes, as it will practically redueethc time required in handling the envelopes to one 'h-alfthat ordinarily required when-they are firstformed.andjbundled andthen have to .he subsequently printed.

"Other means from that shown may also be employed "for inkingtheI type, as thereare numerous wayskin which the "above may be accomplished 'wi'thout departing from 'the 'iinvention,

lill

I claim as my invention:

1. An envelope machine comprising a top plate, a creaser supported above said top plate and having an opening therein over which the envelope blanks are placed, a plunger operating through said opening to fold the blanks, a trap plate mounted in the path of said plunger, to swing to receiving and discharge positions, and having a printing slide, an inking roll, and means to engage with the slide to withdraw the same for inking contact with the roll, and to return the slide to printing position, when and while the trap plate is in discharge position.

2. An envelope machine comprising a top plate, means having an opening therein adapted to receive and support an envelope blank, a plunger operating through said opening to initially fold the blank, a pivoted trap plate in the path of said plunger, adapted to swing to receiving and discharge positions and having slidable printing means contactable by a blank during the folding operation, an inking roll, and cam-controlled lever and link mechanism, to Couple with the slidable printing means, and withdraw the same for inking contact with the roll, and to return the same to printing position, when and while the trap plate is in discharge position.

3. An envelope machine of the plunger type having a folding mechanism and a driving mechanism therefor, as well as a trap plate operable to swing to receiving and discharge positions, a type carrying bar slidable in the trap plate and having type engageable with and by an envelope while being folded, said bar when in printing position projecting beyond the trap plate and having an opening in the projecting portion, an oscillatable slide having a projection for engagement with said bar opening when the bar is in printing position and the trap plate at discharge position, an inking roll positioned for engagement by the type when the bar is partly withdrawn and the trap plate at discharge position, a lever for oscillating the slide, and synchronizing operating connections between said driving mechanism and lever for causing engagement of the bar opening with slide projection, to withdraw the slide for inking contact with the roll and to return the slide to printing position, when and while the trap plate is in discharge position.

4. An envelope machine comprising a folding mechanism including a trap plate adapted to swing to receiving and discharge positions, a type bar slidable in the trap plate having type engageable with an overlying envelope when in folding position, a slide having a projection engageable with the type bar when the bar is in printing position and the trap plate in discharge position, an inking roll positioned for engagement by the bar type when the trap plate is in discharge position, driving connections for the folder mechanism, a lever for operating the slide, and synchronizing operating connections between the driving connections and slide for positioning the slide for engagement with the bar as the trap plate reaches discharge position, and for partially withdrawing the bar for engagement with the inking roll and then returning the bar to printing position, all while the trap plate is in discharge position.

5. An envelope machine comprising a plate having an opening therein, a trap plate pivoted in said opening and adapted to swing to receiving and discharge positions, a printing die mounted to slide in said trap plate, an inking means adjacent said trap plate, mechanism for coupling with and reciprocating said die to engage said inking means when the plate is in discharge position, and means for supporting and folding an envelope blank and moving it during the folding operation into contact with said printing die.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of March, 1925.

EUGENE F. AHLQUIST. V 

